


Beginner’s Luck

by wackyjacqs



Series: Bizarre Holidays [144]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Reality, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-13 21:15:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18948808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wackyjacqs/pseuds/wackyjacqs
Summary: Jack slipped his hand out of his pocket, fingers clasped around the penny Charlie had found at the end of the driveway that morning.





	Beginner’s Luck

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ‘Lucky Penny Day’ (23 May). Alternate reality.

Jack slipped his hand out of his pocket, fingers clasped around the penny Charlie had found at the end of the driveway that morning, and he smiled fondly as he recalled his son’s singing.

_See a penny pick it up; all day long you’ll have good luck._

He studied the coin and shook his head. He wouldn’t necessarily say he was the superstitious type, but if his little boy handed him a penny and confidently told him he was going to receive some good luck today, Jack was more than happy to believe him.

And so far, as the first day in a new job went, it hadn’t been too bad. Although the realization that General Jack O’Neill was now in charge of one of the most top-secret projects on the planet sat a little uneasily with him. This command was supposed to be a quiet stop before he retired from the Air Force for good, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was going to be anything but.

A knock on his office door pulled him from his thoughts and he quickly shoved the penny back into his pocket.

“Come in.”

The door opened to reveal Colonel George Hammond.

“Jack,” he greeted warmly. “Your next meeting is due to begin in five minutes.”

Jack bit back a sigh. The endless meetings – whilst mandatory so he knew his staff and exactly who he would be working with over the next couple of years – was probably the only downside to his day so far.

“Who is it?”

“Doctor Carter. Head of your new science department.”

This time Jack did sigh – and pointedly chose to ignore the smile on his second-in-command’s face.

“A scientist, George? Really?”

“I think you’ll get on well.”

“I’m sure we will,” he replied with a grimace. “What do I need to know?”

“Doctor Sam Carter. Field of expertise is astrophysics and –”

Jack felt his eyes glaze over and it must have shown in his expression when George hesitated, right before he chuckled.

“Carter’s going to be our expert on the Stargate.”

“Ah. I hope he isn’t going to bore me with technobabble.”

Again, George chuckled.

“And he’ll probably be late to the meeting,” Jack continued.

“Actually,” he interrupted, “the doctor is already here.”

Jack looked surprised at the news.

“Well, might as well get this over with,” he muttered a moment later as he got to his feet.

Following George out of his office, Jack was halfway through sending up a silent prayer that the meeting wouldn’t last long when his attention fell on the woman standing at the far side of the briefing room table. He froze.

“Uh... George?”

“General Jack O’Neill,” he said. “This is Doctor Sam Carter. Doctor Carter, General O’Neill.”

Instinctively, Sam stepped forward and Jack reached out to shake her hand as he subtly, but appreciatively, let his gaze roam over the good doctor. She was dressed in a skirt suit that hid a pair of legs that seemed to go on forever, while her shoulder-length blonde hair, bright blue eyes and the smile that played around her lips all helped make her the most beautiful woman Jack had ever laid eyes on.

“You’re Sam?” He asked, disbelief evident in his voice and he’d swear that she tried to hide her amusement.

“Yes, sir,” she nodded. “As in, _Samantha_ Carter.”

The sound of someone clearing their throat caught his attention before he could answer and he looked to his right to find George looking at him curiously. With a quick nod, Jack dismissed him, leaving him alone with Sam – and he was suddenly at a loss for what to say or do. There was just something about her that intrigued and unsettled him in equal measure; the way she made him feel stirrings of feelings he hadn’t felt in a long time.

He rocked back on his heels and casually glanced around in an effort to try and hide his discomfort when Sam smiled and everything else around him seemed to disappear.

“So,” she offered lightly. “Are you waiting for me to start the meeting, or are you just trying to delay listening to my technobabble?”

His gaze snapped back to hers as her smile widened, but he also caught the glint of a challenge in her eye.

“Uh,” he winced, running a hand across the back of his neck, “you, ah, heard that comment?”

“Hm,” she hummed, yet Jack got the impression she wasn’t overly annoyed.

Movement behind Sam caught his attention and he watched as the guards standing at the far end of the room changed shift. For a reason he couldn’t explain, he suddenly realized that whatever conversation the two of them were about to have, he didn’t want anyone else to hear. Sure, he needed to know the doctor better as she would be under his command, but a part of him wanted to get to know _her_ , without others being privy to the interaction.

“Why don’t we continue this meeting in my office?”

Her eyes widened slightly at his question but she quickly covered her surprise and nodded. Out of habit, he shoved a hand into his pocket and remembered the penny he’d put back there earlier.

“After you, Samantha.”

She smiled as she reached him and Jack thought he saw the hint of a blush appear on her face. Idly, he ran his thumb over the smooth surface of the coin and grinned. He’d have to thank Charlie when he got home because if he could get Samantha to smile at him like that every day, he’d feel like the luckiest guy on the planet.

**Author's Note:**

> I’m so sorry this is late. One of the most stressful days of my life. 
> 
> Today's entry will be uploaded sometime this evening. I hope.


End file.
